This invention relates to fittings used for mounting a jet engine nacelle to an air frame strut and more particularly but not by way of limitation to an adjustable wedge fitting attached to the sides of a fan duct cowl for distributing thrust and reverse thrust loads from the jet engine to the air frame strut.
Heretofore, mounting turbo-fan jet engines onto an air frame structure such as air frame strut has resulted in highly concentrated loads at the engine mounts with resulting engine flexure which causes degraded performance.
Fan duct cowlings consist of two cowlings mounted onto the strut by hinges and disposed on opposite sides of the air frame strut. The cowlings are hinged so that they may be opened for ready access to the jet engine and engine accessories for providing maintenance thereon. The fan duct cowlings are closed into place fitting "V" grooves in an engine fan exhaust case. The cowlings are closed and latched together.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,809 to Legrand et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,222,017 to Bobo, U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,246 to Nightingale, U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,115 to Freid, U.S. Pat. No. 2,818,225 to Kent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,077 to Brooks, U.S. Pat. No. 3,541,794 to Johnson et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,983 to Morris various aircraft engine mounting and attachments are disclosed.
None of the prior art engine nacelles described in these patents have provided for an adjustable wedge fitting as described herein for evenly distributing thrust loads and reverse thrust loads to the air frame strut.